Window XP clean install

Well I did it! a clean install of Windows Xp on my Computer and it didn't go easy at all to start with.
I thought I had lost XP as one stage and would have to use Linux on this Computer as well, which I could of got by with but my o/h wouldn't of been to keen on.

HOW IT WENT
1. All data (well nearly all) was backed up to my external hard drive, which was then disconnected from the computer.
2. I first tried to use the Recovery Partition by pressing F10 on Restart, to take it back to factory condition, but it didn't quite work out, as it cleaned out all my Data but left all the Programs on the computer, which is the main thing I wanted to clean off.

3. I then decided to use the Recovery DVD's that I had made off the computer, and after selecting option F it for mated the hard drive before it started to install. There were 2 Recovery DVD's and the first one loaded no problem, Unfortunately it would not recognise the 2nd DVD .

4. looking for help in online forums didn't get me any, so in the interim I ran linux mint off the Live CD on the Computer and I was able to see that the Recovery Partition had been recreated, I decided to Re-Boot and use F10 to see if I could get it to install.
Well it started and asked for the 2nd DVD to be inserted and this time luck was with me and it accepted the Disc and loaded Windows XP.

5. I believe it took about 4 hours to do, would of taken less if I hadn't had problems with 2nd DVD.

6.Then before I would do the Windows updates I installed AVG and Zonealarm as I didn't want a virus before I even got started.

7.Windows update took a while as it would load several updates then have to restart before it would load any more, so it took 2 hours to complete the updates.

8. I then installed my preferred programs which included firefox and Ccleaner, but then came the configuring of all our email accounts and having to remember or reset the passwords.

I still haven't got everything back on, as I am trying to sort out what I really need, also my photo's are taking a while as I seem to have several copies of each and need to sort that out and have decided to use Adobe Photoshop Albumn starter edition as I like the way it sorts and tags photo's.

Do I think the re-install has helped my computer ?
I would have to say yes partly because I was in the habit of trying out a lot of programs, and when they were deleted not all of the program went.
Yes the computer is acting a little bit faster, especially when it came to writing a CD, which wrote at a speed I didn't know it was capable of.

Would I do it again ?
Yes, but not for at least 6 months to a year, and even at this moment I am looking into strimming some of the unnecessary for the Recovery Discs.

p.s this is what happens when you post without stopping the spell checker, I think I will leave it in as to much hassle to go into Edit Html and remove.